Breaking News: Birth Certificate Bill…

Passed in the House last night without a debate with a vote 126 Yeas, 18 Nays, and not voting or absent 7.

Last night before I went out to a LGBT Dinner and Movie at a the Simsbury Senior Center I received an email from Betty Gallo saying that our bill will to be heard that night. I was torn between going to the dinner or rushing up to the capitol but since I was one of the people who suggested the senior centers have LGBT night I figured I should go to the dinner. However, I kept on eye on my email. Then came this brief email... "Debate begins in the House." and I held my breath.

The CT Mirror reported,

An easier path to new ID for transgender persons
By: Mark Pazniokas
May 14, 2015

With little debate, the House of Representatives voted 126 to 18 Thursday night for legislation easing the way for transgender people to legally change their sex on birth certificates, drivers’ licenses and other forms of identification in Connecticut.
[…]
“It affects a very small group of people, but it makes a huge difference in their lives,” said Betty Gallo, a long-time lobbyist on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

The Hartford Courant wrote,

"There are some individuals who cannot have the surgery,'' said Rep. Matt Ritter, co-chairman of the legislature's public health committee, which has jurisdiction over birth certificates and other vital records.

"There are medical reasons. Sometimes there are financial implications,'' Ritter said. "So we've created a new mechanism to allow one to amend their original birth certificate with conditions."

The bill had strong bipartisan support, in the Public Health Committee the vote was 23 to 2 and it looks like that bipartisan support continued in the House. Next stop is the Senate.